Chapter 6
When The Lights Go Out
(5ive)

Luffy sprinted down the empty snow-clad streets in search of the tavern the pink-haired girl had pointed out for him, leaving both Nami and Sanji behind. The redhead scowled at the impatience of her captain and took out her anger on the blonde chef of the crew, whom didn't mind the attention, albeit negative, at all. Grasping onto the reins of the reindeer's, the chef tugged at them to get the two animals to follow while they too made their way down into the heart of the small village. Taking a slow drag of his cigarette, Sanji peered further up ahead at his retreating idiot of a leader and shook his head lightly.

"Will he be alright on his own?" he asked the redhead and watched another scowl form on her features.

Glaring heatedly at the chef, Nami sighed exasperatedly. "This is Luffy we're talking about. He's bound to get himself into trouble."

"Are you alright, Nami-Swan?~"

"No." she stated. "Our ship is gone, we're stuck on a freaking snow-island, Zoro is missing and if we don't find someplace to get a new ship we'll be stuck here forever."

"At least we have each other," the chef mused. "We could get a house, I'll prepare your food and you can shower me with your endless depths of love~"

The palm of her hand collided with the back of his head and Sanji stumbled forward from the impact. "Leave me out of your perverted thoughts, you idiot." she seethed through gritted teeth.

Sanji rubbed the back of his head, interpreting the words coming from the navigator in a completely different way. "I love your feisty side, Nami-swan~" he declared lovingly and went in for a hug, but was roughly kicked to the ground.

Setting her foot gracefully back down onto the snowy surface, Nami turned her attention towards the tavern that was coming into view. Nighttime was slowly creeping up on them and they would probably have to spend the night at an inn. Tucking her hand casually in her pocket, she fingered the bunt of beri as a form of comfort. Money would not be a problem as long as she was around. She would make sure of it in her own way.

Zoro was tired. He was cold. His feet felt like they had been stuck into a large bowl of freezing water. A light headache was beginning to form by the bruised section of his skull. He was tired of the snow, and all he could think about was how badly he wanted to get indoors.

The village had been shielded from the wind, he had noticed as Sakura and he traveled further up the mountain. Here, they were more or less fully exposed to the roaring winds, so he tugged the cloak tighter around his muscular frame to prevent the icy fingers of the breeze from cooling him down further.

Glancing at the pinkette, he took notice of her tired form hidden beneath the wool fabric of her cloak. Here eyes were squinted together, probably to shield her pools of green from the snow. She looked to be deep in thought and he found himself wondering what she was contemplating.

Letting out a shaky breath, he buried his face deeper into the hood of his cloak, hoping they would reach their destination sooner rather than later.

Sakura was lost in her thoughts. Today had been the first time she had seen the marines on the island, and they seemed to be searching high and low for the man sitting next to her. Why, she didn't know. His wanted poster had labeled him as a pirate hunter. Wouldn't that leave them on the same side? Perhaps he had committed a serious crime and they were after him because of that. Or maybe he had been fighting those other pirates? After all, he had been quite beat up when she had found him. If that was the case, they seemed to be a tough bunch to crack if they were still alive and kicking. Sakura herself probably couldn't even take them on even though they did look quite weak. She knew better than to judge them though. Her old sensei, Kakashi, had told her and her boys to always look underneath the underneath. But why were the marines after Zoro? That part didn't make any sense to her.

Sighing deeply, she urged the reindeer's to go faster by whipping with the reins. Night was creeping up on them and she didn't want to find out what might lurk in the shadows on this island when they were as far away from civilization as they were.

Luffy shoved another piece of meat into his already stuffed mouth, signaling for the waitress to keep the food coming. Nami and Sanji found him sitting by the counter once they entered the small tavern, and together they stepped up to their captain, relishing in the warmth of the local. Nami slid into the seat next to the rubber-man and motioned for the waitress to bring her sake. Sanji, on the other hand, leaned casually against the counter on Luffy's other side, his eyes scanning the nearly full room for any sort of threat. Most of the men in the tavern were locals, he noted and relaxed a bit before lighting another cigarette. However, as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit light in the faraway corner, he spotted a small group of marines drinking merrily at a rounded table. Stealing a glance at Luffy, he prayed the captain would keep a low profile and not draw too much attention to their small gathering.

The strawhat captain suddenly nudged Sanji's arm. "E wodh ee ee wlly ood, awi!" the rubber-man grinned with his cheeks popping out from the amount of food he had stuffed into his mouth.

"I can't understand what you're saying, you idiot." the cook muttered while taking in the ridiculous looking face of his captain. Sometimes he found himself wondering just why he had agreed to join his crew.

Luffy swallowed down the half chewed pieces of meat with another smile. "The food here is really good, Sanji."

"I'm sure." the cook stated nonchalantly and eyed the group of marines again just in time to see one of the men push his chair back and stagger towards the bar. This could turn out to be a problem.

The marine leaned against the bar and let his arm fall over the edge, fingering a bottle of rum before pulling it up onto the wooden surface. His eyes went to the red-haired navigator, eyeing her for a moment before a toothy grin clad his features.

"What's such a pretty lady like yourself doing here at this hour?"

Nami watched him from the corner of her eye, not at all fazed by his pathetic pickup line. The waitress chose that moment to step forward, handing the redhead a bottle of sake and a small glass. Nami took a long swig of the strong substance before slamming the glass onto the table. The marine by her side stepped closer and started fingering the upper part of her coat.

"You're too hot to be wearing this much clothing," the marine slurred, the back of his fingers brushed against the navigator's jawline when he pulled the furred top of her coat down to get a better view of her soft, pale skin. "Why don't you come over to my room and I'll help you get undressed?"

Sanji was fuming. How dared the marine lay his filthy hands on his Nami?

"Oi, shitty marine!" the cook addressed and stepped in between the two.

The man took a step back, eyeing the newcomer. "Get out of my way, curly brows!" he growled before roughly shoving Sanji to the side.

"I've got it under control," the navigator declared and shot the chef an angry look. Turning her focus to the marine, she set the small glass back onto the counter and narrowed her eyes at the man. "That'll be 10,000 beri for fingering my brand new coat and another 50,000 for touching my face. Pay up!"

The marine snickered and took a step forward yet again. His fingers slid over the fabric of her coat over her well developed chest until they ended up by the zipper. "And how much would you charge for the night, slut?"

Her eyes darkened at that and she pushed his hand off of her chest, feeling the furious energy from the cook from his position behind her.

Sanji was seeing red. "How dare you utter those filthy words in front of a woman?" he questioned before he turned on his heel and kicked the marine straight in the face - sending him flying over the bar where he collided roughly with the endless shelves of liquor. "Don't you dare use that ugly word in front of a woman ever again, you piece of shit!"

The remaining group of marines rose from their seats after hearing the shattering of bottles and came stumbling towards the trio.

"Oi! Isn't that Cat Burglar Nami and Black Leg Sanji?" one of them questioned while raising his hand to point at the two.

Sanji tsk'ed in annoyance for getting caught and took another drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke in their direction.

"Do we fight?" he asked the redhead and turned towards her. He was met by the view of her empty chair and an empty glass on the bar. "Shit! Luffy, let's go!" he growled and sprinted towards the door.

"After them!" another of the marine's shouted before the group rushed after the two pirates.

Luffy raised his hand with his eyes set on the waitress, completely oblivious to the scene that had unfolded in the tavern. "More food!"

Nami leaned against the cool outer wall of the tavern, clutching the bottle of sake in her hand. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and she stiffened, hiding further among the shadows when voices suddenly came closer. She saw the sprinting form of Sanji as he ran past her hiding place, tightly followed by her assaulter and other marines from the bar. She had been hoping they wouldn't be back on the island for a couple of more days, but with her luck she supposed this should have been expected. Taking a step forward, she peeked over the corner of the building in front of her but stepped back with a shriek when a body suddenly flew past her vision and crashed against the outer wall of the tavern. She could hear Sanji's voice again, cursing the marines for being indecent with the love of his life and another white—clad person came bursting through the air, landing on top of the first one.

The navigator's shocked expression soon turned into a smirk, and she crouched down next to the two males, digging her hand into their pockets to steal their beri along with whatever else she might find of value. A gold rimmed watch was quickly snatched from one of the marine's wrists and she pocketed it along with the beri with a swift movement of her hand. 'This is all too easy.' she mused to herself with a grin forming on her lips.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Cat Burglar Nami," a deep voice suddenly said from her right, causing the navigator to quickly rise to her feet. "You know, stealing is a crime." the deep voice continued and a largely built male, with dark blue hair emerged from the shadows. "However, stealing from a Marine is a felony on a whole different level. I suppose the others are around as well?"

She staggered back, her back colliding with the wall of the nearest building as she took in his well-built form. A Vice Captain stood before her, she concluded by the looks of his long, white, unbuttoned coat with blue and yellow shoulder-pads. He was tall and muscular and she would clearly be no match for him.

"Cat caught your tongue? Quite ironic, don't you think?" he marveled, showing off his perfectly aligned teeth.

She needed to get out of there, and that fast. 'Luffy, Sanji, I'm sorry!'

Turning on her heel, she ran out of the alleyway without a glance back.

Sanji had just finished off the last marine with a swift kick to his jaw, and had stuffed his hands into his pockets when he spotted the redhead sprinting across the snow-clad street.

"Nami," he muttered surprisingly, bringing a hand up to his lips where he popped another cigarette into his mouth.

When the Vice Captain came into view, running after the navigator, Sanji's blood ran cold. That blue hair was recognizable from anywhere across the world. That man could be none other than Seisyll Bricius, a man whom despised women with a passion that rivaled Sanji's love for them. Clenching his fists, he took after the two until a blur of red and blue flew past him. "…no rocket!" he heard from the blurry mass and he smirked. 'Luffy,'

Nami threw a small bundle of beri onto the shiny surface of the inn's counter. "Two rooms for the night, please." she demanded rather than requested.

The old lady on the other side of the counter eyed the trio warily. Sanji had a trail of blood trickling from his lip, whereas Luffy looked as if he had rolled around in ashes, with random cuts and bruises on the exposed parts of his body. His jacket was torn at the front from one of Seisyll's attacks. The man had been strong, but Luffy was stronger.

"A-hah-hah," Nami laughed nervously. "They can't stand each other at times." she lied.

Luffy tilted his head to the side. "What are you talking about?" he asked clearly dumbfounded by her remark. "Sanji and I get along just fine. Right, Sanji?"

Sanji's eyes had turned to hearts and he clasped his hands together underneath his chin. "Does that mean we will share room, Nami-swan?~"

A vein popped on Nami's forehead and she quickly turned around to embed her fist right in his face. "Shut up, pervert!" Turning to face the inn-owner again, she faked a smile. "Can we get the keys now?"

The lady watched the pirates fearfully. Who were these crazy people?

"Sorry, we're fully booked for the night." she tried while attempting to hide the keys in a drawer.

Nami's perceptive gaze trailed to the woman's hand, and she slammed her fist onto the counter. "I will take 1000 beri away from this bunt for every second that passes before we get our keys." she spat heatedly while pressing a finger hard onto the bunt of money she had offered.

Too scared to do anything but oblige, the old lady quickly snatched the beri from the counter and stuffed it in her pant pocket. Throwing the keys onto the counter, she backed away slightly.

"Second floor. Bathroom's at the end of the hallway. Good night!" and with that she scurried off, leaving the trio behind.

Pleased with the way things had gone, Nami held the two keys up with a smile and handed Sanji one key while keeping the other. Today was a good day.

After another two hours of biting cold and roaring winds, Zoro and Sakura were finally beginning to reach the top of the mountain. They were both frozen to the bones and tired from traveling for so long. And now, the silhouette of a castle was finally coming into view a bit ahead of them. Sakura nudged the half asleep swordsman with her elbow.

"Wake up,"

Zoro clutched his cloak around himself and peered at the pink-haired woman by his side.

"We're almost there." she offered a small smile while nodding her head in the direction of the castle.

"About damn time."

The reindeer's came to a halt in front of two large, wooden doors not too long after. Sakura and Zoro climbed out of the sleigh, thankful for being able to move their stiff limbs again.

"This place is huge," Sakura stated with a hint of admiration lingering in her voice while tilting her head back to get a better view of what she could see of the castle.

The castle was built in white bricks, stretching far up into the air with one large tower where a black jolly roger with a grinning skull and three heart-shaped sakura petals flickered back and forth in the strong wind. From what she could see, the castle seemed to consist of seven stories, with shorter towers adorning the corners of the building.

Zoro yawned from behind her before stepping in front of her smaller frame, heading towards the entrance. "You coming?"

She nodded and came into step beside him. He pushed the heavy doors open and stepped into the dimly lit entrance. Dark eyes scanned the spacey room for any sort of threat. The pinkette joined him soon after, stomping the layers of snow off of her shoes onto the stone-clad floor. He sent her a look of disapproval, finding the action unnecessary since her steps echoed throughout the room, signaling their arrival.

"Sorry," she apologized meekly and went further into the room.

Zoro followed her without a word into a narrow hallway.

"Hello?" she asked into the dark. "Is anybody here?"

The echoing of footsteps reached their ears, followed by a woman laughing. Turning in the direction of the voice, they saw a slender, elderly woman coming towards them the same way they had entered the hallway.

"Shi-shi-shi-shi-shi. Guests at this hour? I don't suppose you're here to steal the secret to my youth?" the woman questioned with a devilish grin evident on her features.

Zoro's hand went automatically to his three swords, unconsciously gripping the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. "Who are you?" he demanded, his baritone voice echoing throughout the corridor.

"Come closer, son."

"Tch," he took a step back, readying himself to fight if necessary.

"Zoro," Sakura scolded from behind him before she took a stand in front of his well-built form. "Sorry for the late visit." she continued with her hands up in an apologetic manner. "We're here to see Dr. Kureha."

The woman came closer, forcing the two newcomers to back away. "Are you hurt?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "No."

"I can see it in the way you move, girl. You've overexerted yourself."

Sakura paled, thinking back to the nightly actions between her and Zoro. "We've traveled a long way," she tried and let her hands drop to her sides.

"Shi-shi-shi-shi!" the woman before them laughed, not buying Sakura's explanation at all.

"Oi! Tell us were she is, old hag." Zoro growled impatiently from the darkness.

The woman's eyebrow twitched at that. "Old? Who are you calling old, bastard?"

"You look to be at least 200 years old, damn fossil." the swordsman continued his taunting with a wicked grin playing on his lips as he took a stand next to the pinkette.

Sakura smacked him on the back of his head. "Zoro!" she growled and met his pissed off stare with one of her own.

The moment was short-lived when a foot suddenly appeared before them. Zoro unsheathed his white katana in the blink of an eye to defend both him and the medic. However, Sakura had moved on her own, swiftly throwing her arms up to form an x in front of her chest. The older woman's foot collided with Sakura's defense. The ninja wasted no time, quickly grasping onto the lady's ankle, twisting the attached leg to bring the attacker off balance before she tugged the woman's slender body closer and roughly pinned her to the wall where she immobilized her arms behind her back in the process.

"Ah," the stranger smiled. "You must be Sakura. I expected no less from Tsunade's student. Shi-shi-shi-shi."

A look of surprise flickered over the ninja's face as the woman's words registered and she quickly let go of the woman.

"Dr. Kureha," Sakura stated shamefully while inclining her head forward in a small bow. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Kureha cut her off with another laugh. "I expected you sooner and not accompanied by him." she said while glaring at the swordsman whom slowly sheathed his katana.

Sakura was fast. Faster than he had expected her to be. And her moves… He narrowed his eyes while taking in her form. She was in remarkable shape for a doctor and hadn't flinched when putting the old hag in her place. He frowned while suspiciously watching her interact with the elderly woman, coming to the conclusion she was hiding something from him. He would have to be careful from now on and distance himself from her. No. 'Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.' He would stay with her but keep a closer eye on her person. The two women went back into the entrance of the castle, leaving him behind in the hallway. He would uncover her secret one way or another.

"…so we left them outside and-"

"Chopper!" the lady roared suddenly.

The small tanuki jumped at her strict voice and peered over his shoulder from his hiding spot at a doorway to their left. Sakura's eyebrow twitched. A small deer-like creature with a pink hat propped in between its horns was standing on two legs, with its back turned towards them, obviously trying to hide from the newcomers. How it managed to stay completely visible to them and not be aware of it, was a wonder.

"You keep the food running freely in the castle?" Zoro asked with a brow raised in surprise.

Chopper's eyes widened at the swordsman's words, and he hid his face by looking into the wall again, thinking it made him invisible.

'How dumb can one be?' Sakura facepalmed. "It's so cute!"

The reindeer turned its head to look at the pink-haired female. "Giving me compliments is not going to make me happy, asshole!" it squealed in delight while a pink blush clad its cheeks.

Sakura staggered back, clearly surprised. "Huh? It speaks?! That's so awesome!"

"Tch," the swordsman uttered in irritation. 'There's nothing cute about that stupid steak.'

"Chopper," Kureha repeated while tapping her foot impatiently. "Bring our guests to their separate rooms." she continued, emphasizing separate while sending another glare in the swordsman's direction. Sakura was her responsibility as of now, and she did not want to experience the wrath of her old-time friend if something were to happen to the pinkette. Turning to face Sakura, she offered a small but genuine smile. "Chopper will lead the way. I'll take care of your sleigh."

Sakura curtsied minimally. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Dr. Kureha waved her hand dismissively. "Get some sleep. You look like you could use some." And with that, she left the room to see to the reindeer's.

Chopper cowered under the heavy gaze of Zoro. The swordsman's hand went to the hilt of his katana yet again as he eyed the tanuki. Were they allowed to eat it? Were they supposed to capture their own food at this place? Surely, it wouldn't be too difficult trapping that small animal in a corner and cut it open.

Sakura crouched down to Chopper's level in an attempt to look less intimidating. "Chopper, was it?" her big green eyes stared into Chopper's rounded black ones with amazement. "I'm Sakura." She continued and pointed at herself with her thumb while a genuine smile spread over her lips. "I have never met a talking deer before."

"I am not a deer, goddammit. I am a reindeer!" the tanuki exclaimed heatedly while raising its hooves into the air for extra emphasis.

Sakura laughed heartedly and got onto her feet again. "You're cute." she smiled and stepped closer to its smaller frame.

"When do we eat it?" Zoro asked from behind her, making Chopper flinch before taking off hiding the wrong way again.

Sakura shot him another stare of disapproval. Why was he so aggravated?

Turning her focus back on the reindeer, she stepped closer to it, gently placing her hand on its shoulder.

"That's Zoro. He's a bit grumpy today but a good guy nonetheless." she wasn't sure if she was comforting the reindeer or herself with those words. His place in this world was still a mystery to her, but she was sure she would get her answers sooner or later, depending on whenever his amnesia would give way for more memories to surface.

Chopper glanced at the swordsman with fear in his eyes. A wicked grin spread over Zoro's lips. Taunting the tanuki was too much fun. Leaning forward an inch, he made himself look as intimidating as possible. "Boo!"

Chopper let out a fearful yelp before descending onto the floor. His eyelids were open, eyes rolled to the back of his head. He fainted.

Sakura carefully picked the small reindeer up in her arms and rose to her feet. Turning to face Zoro, she stared him down with a cold, threatening glare.

"That was uncalled for, Zoro." she spat.

The swordsman sent her a passive look of his own. "I was joking."

"He fainted," she growled. "I never took you for a heartless bastard until now."

A slender brow arched above his right eye. "I am not heartless, Sakura." he sighed. Somehow, her being angry with him made his insides twist and turn unpleasantly. He couldn't put his finger on why and he couldn't understand how she already had that hold on him. "Let's just find our rooms and go to bed."

"How do you expect us to do that? He was supposed to show us the rooms!" she snarled and peeked down at the reindeer in her arms. Her eyes softened as she took in his relaxed form. Petting it carefully, she marveled at the softness of his fur. "Chopper?" she cooed tenderly, trying to wake him from his fainted state. "Chopper!" she tried again before a impatient sigh escaped her lips. "We'll need to find water."

"Or we could throw it out in the snow." Zoro retorted sourly. If anyone deserved her caresses, it was him. Not some stupid tanuki-shit-head.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the swordsman and started walking down the hallway in front of them. 'Ignorance is bliss, Sakura.' she thought to herself. 'Ignore him and his stupid comments.'

The hallway soon split into two more hallways and in front of her was a large wooden door. Pushing the door open with the help of her hips she found herself staring into a large dining room.

"Perfect!" she mused to herself and stepped inside.

A robust oak-table was placed in the middle of the room, while matching chairs clad with red velvet cushions on the seats and backrests, aligned the sides of the table. It looked luxurious and expensive, something she hadn't expected at this far away island. Laying the tanuki down on the large table, she then headed towards another door to her left. Pushing the door open, she found herself in the kitchen.

"I'll be back," she called out to the swordsman, whom had just entered the dining room, and went to get some water.

She found the green-haired man slumped down on one of the chairs near the reindeer when she returned. He looked beat. She supposed that were to be expected since his body was still recovering from his injuries.

"You okay?" she questioned softly as she set a small bowl of water down onto the dark surface of the table.

"Never been better." he mumbled while running his fingers lazily over the tabletop.

"Zoro," she warned and started dabbing Chopper's forehead with a damped cloth. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing I can't handle." he stated honestly. The throbbing in his head had gotten worse since they arrived at the castle. He supposed the cold was what had started it and that it would pass once he got some sleep.

Sakura regarded him for a moment. She would have to give him a check-up later. The small reindeer suddenly moved. Round, dark eyes stared into Sakura's emerald green ones.

"You're awake," she smiled.

Chopper sat up slowly with the help of Sakura's hands for support. "Wh-what happened?"

"You fainted." Zoro stated, causing the reindeer's eyes to widen in fear by the sound of his voice, and within a second he was standing on the floor, trying to hide behind Sakura.

"It's okay," she said in an attempt to comfort the reindeer.

"H-how is it o-okay? H-he wants to e-eat me!" Chopper stammered from behind the ninja.

"He won't eat you," Sakura reassured and sent Zoro another glare. "Could you please show us to our rooms?"

"H-hai!" the tanuki replied with a slight nod of his head. "Follow m-me."

Sakura laid in bed half an hour later. Chopper had kindly lead them throughout the many levels of the castle until they came to the fifth floor. He had told them other guests were residing in the other rooms down the hallway and that they were scary. Her mind drifted to the swordsman whom had gotten a different room further down the hallway, as requested of Dr. Kureha. She hadn't gotten the chance to give him the check-up since he had retreated soon after being introduced to his new sleeping quarter.

There was a minimal fireplace in her room, which provided enough heat to keep her warm. A small desk with a candle on top was placed near the window, which was currently covered by a thick, purple curtain. Her wooden bed held enough room for two people and was equipped with purple satin sheets and fluffy pillows. The mattress was soft and very comfortable. Four pillars of dark wood stretched up towards the roof by the corners of her bed. Attached to them was a soft, finely-netted curtain she hadn't bothered to undo just yet.

Across the stony floor laid a white, fluffy rug. The fur-like strands of fabric had tickled her bare feet when she had headed towards the bed after a quick visit to the bathroom further down the hall. A large painting of a woman riding a horse in the middle of a forest hung over the fireplace, rimmed with a golden frame. It was beautiful to look at and made the whole room feel more at home than the small cabin she and Zoro had previously inhabited.

All in all, she almost felt like a spoiled princess as she laid comfortably in the large bed.

Her mind went to Zoro again. Was his room as nice as hers?

The door to her room suddenly opened and she bolted upright while grasping onto a kunai she had hidden beneath her pillow. Squinting her eyes in hope to see better in the dimly lit room, she saw a largely built form step into her quarters.

"Damnit!" the person cursed before they turned to leave the room again.

"Zoro?" Surprise didn't even cover half the shock she felt. "Are you okay?"

She scrambled out of bed, leaving the kunai behind and slowly made her way towards him.

"Sakura," he muttered and glanced at the door.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned quietly as she took in his form. He had left the cloak and the haramaki, along with his swords behind, she noted. "What's wrong?" she asked while tilting her head to get a closer look of his face.

"I didn't mean to come here," he grumbled with his eyes still locked on the door.

She gave him a confused look which soon dawned into understanding. "You got lost." It was a statement rather than a question, and the look he sent her confirmed she was right.

"I didn't get lost." he growled. "Every door looks the same out there."

A smile made its way onto her face and she giggled quietly.

"It's not funny, witch!" he huffed in annoyance but found it difficult to supress the smirk that threatened to erupt on his lips when she so clearly enjoyed his lack of direction.

She took a calming breath and waved her hand dismissively, the smile still etched onto her features.

"I was just thinking of you." she said softly.

Quirking an eyebrow in curiosity, he eyed her. "Oh?" She had his full attention now.

"Yeah," A dark blush spread over her cheeks when she realized what she had said. "N-no, I mean… I didn't mean it like that!" she cried and threw her hands up to her face to cool down her burning cheeks.

He smirked and stepped closer to her smaller frame. She looked absolutely adorable at that moment with her flushed cheeks, tank top and shorts, and he couldn't help but get drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

Taking a strand of her hair in between his fingers, he twirled it lazily around his digit.

"What were you thinking about me, Sakura?" he asked and let the tips of his fingers brush lightly over her temple.

She moved one hand to rest it against his arm. Her eyes fluttered closed as a shiver ran up and down her spine when he lightly traced the curve of her cheek, sliding his fingers slowly further and further down. Biting down on her lip to prevent herself from uttering anything else, she then felt his thumb slide over the corner of her mouth, gently tugging the bitten piece of flesh free from the assault of her teeth.

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and she was sure he could hear it from the short distance between them.

"I was thinking that I need to give you a check-up." she said hazily with her eyes still closed.

He stepped closer to her and she breathed in his unique scent.

"What sort of check-up did you have in mind?" he asked quietly while his eyes roamed her face. She was truly a beauty.

"…not the sort you're insinuating." she needed to stay away from him. She had promised herself to do so.

Her eyes slowly opened, revealing a dark yet clear green shade of her eyes. He could stare into those deep, emotional eyes forever. They were too damn captivating.

"I was not insinuating anything, Sakura." his lips hovered inches away from hers and he felt her breaths fanning over his lips like feather light strokes.

His headache had subsided remarkably since the moment he stepped into her room. Why? He didn't know, and at the moment he couldn't care any less.

"What you said to Chopper earlier was very rude." she needed to change the subject, and while her mind was distracted by the mere presence of the swordsman, she found herself unable to form any real thoughts.

Zoro's eyebrow twitched in annoyance by the mentioning of the reindeer's name. "I know," he stated coolly.

"You really scared him, Zoro." her voice had taken on a more serious tone, so he pulled away from her, making her hand fall from where it had rested against his arm.

"Do you honestly want to take this now?" he asked aggravatingly.

"I want to know what's bothering you."

He didn't know what was bothering him, aside from the fact he had no memory of anything.

"Just forget it," he told her and backed away. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this.

"Please, just talk to me," she requested meekly.

His hands flew to her wrists and in a blink of an eye, he had her pinned to the wall.

"Just let it go. Please."

He released her after that and headed towards the door.

"Goodnight, Sakura."

Her bedroom door closed with a soft click, leaving her alone in the room. She leaned the back of her head onto the wall and cursed herself for being too pushy. He hadn't been rough when pinning her to the wall and she knew it had been more of a warning than anything else. Sighing heavily, she glanced over at her bed. She should really try to get some sleep.

Her bedroom door opened again, revealing the green-haired swordsman.

Sakura smiled, her eyes glinting in amusement. "Did you get lost again?"

He stepped into her room and pushed the door closed behind him by lightly nudging it with his foot.

"No," standing before her, he hanged his head in shame. "I'm sorry for acting jealous."

Her eyes widened in surprise. He was jealous?

"…and I'm sorry for taking it out on that stupid tanuki."

"You were jealous?" she had to make sure she had heard him right.

"…yes."

"Why?"

He glanced up at her by then. Surely she should have been aware of the reason why. "It doesn't matter."

She nodded at that and let her fingers brush over the back of his hands, a gesture of forgiveness he supposed. "Anything else?"

He sighed. "I have had a headache since we were riding the sleigh. It stopped once I entered your room, but returned the moment I left."

"Mind if I take a look?" she asked and watched him shake his head no.

Grabbing his hand, she lead him across the room towards the desk and motioned for him to sit down on the chair by it. "Does it hurt on the bruised side or is it a regular headache?" she questioned and ran her fingers through his hair.

His eyes closed as a tingly sensation started spreading through his skull by her soft caress. "The bruised side."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she questioned and tilted his head to the side to get a better view of the cut. She was sure she had healed it properly with her chakra. Had the blood-vessels opened up again or had she missed something?

"I don't know." he mumbled and opened his eyes again to peer around the room. "Pride? Your room is much nicer than mine."

Sakura smiled at that. "Perhaps you would have gotten a nice room as well if you hadn't insulted those two earlier." she teased.

"Tch! They deserved it."

She pulled at a few strands and heard him hiss in pain. "I'm not into animals, Zoro."

"I never said you were."

"Yet you got jealous because I showed affection towards the reindeer."

"That's not…" he trailed off and closed his eyes again when a sudden coolness penetrated his skull. The pounding in his head slowly subsided and he relaxed visibly under her touch.

Sakura eyed him warily. She was once again breaking the rules she had set up for herself by healing him with her chakra. She really needed to stop. 'Tomorrow,' she promised herself. 'Today will be the last.'

She retracted her hands from his head and took a small step back. "Better?"

"Much. What did you do?" he asked as he peered up at her.

"Just something I learned a while back." she offered.

He knew he wouldn't get much more out of her, so he stood up, hovering slightly over her.

"I guess I should head back to my shitty room,"

"Yes," she agreed and stepped closer to him. She didn't want him to leave.

"That old hag will surely be pissed if she finds out I stayed the night." he stated and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

'Don't do it,' an inner voice warned the pinkette. "We wouldn't want that," she whispered and bit down on her lip while her eyes were locked on his.

His thumb caressed the curve of her lips, gently tugging her lip free.

"No," he agreed and leaned down to capture her lips with his.

The kiss was soft and slow. The bickering from before, long forgotten. Closing her eyes, she let her hands wander up over his chest. She needed him.

He pulled away slowly and gently caressed her cheek. Her skin felt hot beneath his touch. Hot, soft and silky smooth. She tilted her head to the side with her eyes still closed when he tenderly cupped her face. Her pink tresses fell to the side, exposing her cream-colored neck in the process. Licking his lips, he leaned in closer while his other hand slowly slid up her arm. His nose brushed against her jawline when he closed the distance between them again. The unique mixture of citrus, jasmine, amber and vanilla filled his lungs as he breathed in her scent, the rare essence lingering and teasing his senses. One hand grasped around her soft curls and he pressed his lips against her neck, fingers twirling her pastel-colored locks around them and tugging gently to uncover more of her neck. His tongue darted out to lick on a soft-spot right behind her ear before he nibbled on that same area, earning a sensual moan from the pinkette. Smirking into her flesh, he started sucking on that same spot and felt her hand loosen from where it had been resting against his chest, only to start to roam his bigger frame.

Her hands went down to the hem of his dark-grey shirt and lifted the soft fabric slightly. Sliding her hands underneath his top, she could feel his muscles rip beneath her fingertips. Her fingers traced his lower abdomen, grazing his toned muscles with a feather-light touch which also earned her a sharp intake of air from the green-haired swordsman. Small hands moved further up his toned chest while he continued his ministries against her neck. Nibbling had turned to kissing and he had moved from her neck to her jawline again. Emerald eyes opened slightly to gaze at their lover. And as he teasingly and slowly kissed a path from her neck to her lips, she sighed contently and wrapped an arm around his waist to pull him closer while tilting her head to capture his lips with her own.

She felt him smile into the kiss, the sides of his lips quirking upward at her bold move.

"Getting impatient, are we?" he questioned playfully, his breath fanning over her lips as he opened his eyes to look at the woman before him. Her normally pale cheeks were flushed; from heat or embarrassment he didn't know. His thumb brushed against her bottom lip which she had seductively captured in between her teeth once more, and he instinctively leaned in to taste them again, to claim them and to claim her.

Hooking her fingers under the waistband of his trousers, she pulled him with her as she backed away toward the bed. The cool wood pressed against the back of her legs when she finally reached her destination and before she had time to reflect on what was happening he was lowering her onto the mattress with his lips still attached to hers.

Seating himself in between her legs, he pulled his shirt off in one swift movement and tossed it onto the floor before leaning down to rest his forehead against hers. She smiled slyly as she gazed into his eyes, her emerald orbs full of emotion. She raked her nails softly over his naked back, earning a hiss from the male while his eyes fluttered closed. Slick fingers trailed further up his toned back, toward his neck and up to his hair where they slid through his green tuft in a loving manner. Her right hand traveled down his cheek where she brushed her thumb over his brow and cheek before she leaned up to kiss him on the lips. The hand glided toward his ear where she carefully ran her fingers over his three golden earrings, causing them to play a short jingle in the process.

Flipping them over, she ended up straddling his lap. One leg rested on each side of his hips and she traced the long scar on his chest with careful fingers. His eyes were locked on her face, dark eyes searching hers for some sort of clue. It bothered him that he couldn't remember. All he really knew was her and even though he loved being there with her, he couldn't help the nagging feeling that was constantly making itself known in the back of his head. There was more to him. There had to be more to him. Fragments of distant memories were constantly seeping into his consciousness. He just didn't have the ability nor knowledge to sort them out - to place them correctly.

"Zoro..?" her voice was full of concern.

Flicking his gaze to her eyes, he couldn't resist the small smile that plastered itself on his lips. She was still running her delicate hands over his chest and he loved how hot she made him feel by simply being her.

She scooted back onto his thighs as he sat up, and felt his hands snake around her waist to keep her from moving further away. A light push against her lower back brought her closer to his toned chest and she wrapped her arms around his neck - fingers playing with the short hair at the nape of his neck. His lips brushed against hers again. His tongue ran along her bottom lip before he coaxed them open to taste her.

A soft moan escaped the pinkette's lips and she instinctively ground herself against him, causing another hiss to escape the swordsman's lips. Smirking into the kiss, she ground into him again, her sex rubbing slowly against his hardening groin.

One of his hands glided from her back, down her side and up her front as she continued grinding into him. Said hand lifted her top off and she broke away from the kiss long enough for him to discard the clothing, exposing the pair of soft mounds hidden beneath. Her teeth bit down on his bottom lip, playfully pulling at the slightly swollen flesh before she gently sucked it into her mouth. One of her hands left his hair and rested against his shoulder where she massaged his tense muscles. A deep moan sounded from deep down his throat and he grabbed a hold of her thighs, rose onto his knees and laid her back down on the bed. Placing himself in between her legs again, he lowered his head down toward her flat stomach. His lips met her warm skin and he started kissing his way up her milky white abdomen - up toward her chest.

Sliding a hand up to the two mounds of flesh with their rosy peaks he took one of them into his large hand; kneading the wondrous flesh while she squirmed beneath him. Anticipation rose within her with every new kiss he left on her humid skin. A flick of his tongue against the other rosy peak earned him a breathy moan and he smirked as he gazed up at his lover's face through his dark eyelashes before grazing the pearl of her chest with his teeth.

She arched her back as she laid beneath him, craving more of his touch and his exploration of her skin. A sharp intake of air left Sakura's lips as she felt him start to suck on her breast; the hardened nipple getting assaulted inside of his mouth as he held it in between his teeth and flickered the tip of his tongue over it. The other breast was not left forgotten and while he repeated the action on it she mewled underneath him - nails digging into his shoulders while she writhed under his toned body.

Satisfied with his work, he left a trail of heated kisses up her chest and throat, which he had seemed to taken an extra liking to, and covered her lips with his. The pinkette hooked her legs around his narrow waist and gave a soft yet sturdy push to his clothed ass; making him grind his sex against her clothed one. She could feel him through the fabric; pressing against her waiting frame, and when he sensually rubbed his crotch against hers, she let out a moan which had the swordsman chuckling into her mouth.

"You liked that?" he questioned mischievously and repeated his previous action, a playful yet proud glint evident in his eyes.

Too caught up in the pleasure he was causing her she simply nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him closer to her body. His lips crashed against hers in a mind-blowing kiss and she felt him shift in between her legs. The rustling of fabric reached her ears and her feet -still wrapped around his hips, rested comfortably on his now naked behind. His fingers hooked into the waistband of her shorts and he yanked them down along with her underwear. The pink haired woman gazed up at her lover and she unhooked her legs from his waist to allow him to pull her undergarments off completely. The sight she was met with made her insides melt. Before her sat said swordsman, green hair tousled, shirt and pants discarded and forgotten on the floor while the flickering light from the fireplace danced over his naked form; casting him in an ethereal glow.

"God, you're beautiful." she stated and rose onto her elbows. Her eyes roamed his naked form, memorizing every little detail on her swordsman's figure. Everything from his moss-colored hair to his highly-arched eyebrows, dark eyes and pointy nose. From his pink lips to his squared chin. His broad shoulders, toned chest and abdomen with the scar that ran diagonally down his front where it ended near his right hipbone. Glancing to her right she found herself blushing as she realized he was completely naked and a certain manly part of him was standing tall and proud all because of her.

Zoro's hands were around her bare ankles, holding them firmly in his calloused hands. He tugged at her legs in an attempt to bring her closer and grinned when a surprised gasp left her lips. He had amusedly watched her while she ogled him and the blush that tinted her cheeks when she had realized he was completely nude had him smirking.

"You know, it's not nice to stare," he marveled as he hovered over her.

Green eyes shot to his and her blush deepened. "I wasn't…"

Soft lips met hers before she had time to finish her sentence and she moaned quietly as she felt his hardened member poke the inside of her thigh.

"I believe you were." He murmured elatedly while positioning himself at her entrance. Kissing her one final time, he then rested his forehead against hers, dark eyes gazing into the emerald green ones of his lover's and with one slow push he slid into her.

Emerald orbs widened a fraction before fluttering closed as he invaded her womanly cave. A pleasure-filled moan left her parted lips and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips. Inch by inch he entered her until he filled her up completely. Her inner walls pulsed slightly around his length while she accumulated to his size. He pulled out painstakingly slow before pushing himself into her core again, his length throbbing delightfully in the depths of her warm folds.

Her breasts pressed against his chest when she arched her back and he lowered his mouth to nibble on her neck. Her breath ghosted over his ear and her raw moans of pure pleasure had him joining the pink haired woman with one of his own. Plunging into her more forcefully he hissed as she dug her fingers into his shoulders and she started raising her hips to meet his thrusts. He took a hold of her left leg and shifted so he was on his knees before taking a hold of her right leg as well with his free hand, bringing her feet up to rest against his shoulders.

"What are you..-"

He entered her again, thrusting deeper into her womb and placed a sloppy kiss on her right ankle.

"Holy.." she moaned loudly as she felt his member hit that special spot which had her toes curl in pleasure. "Don't.. stop.." she breathed and fisted the sheets into her hands as the beginning of her orgasm sprung to life deep within her belly.

He slid one hand down the length of her leg and down to her sensitive bundle of nerves which he started rubbing in circles with his thumb.

"Zoro!" she jerked under his touch, emerald eyes glazing over by the enormous amount of pleasure he was giving her. She brought one hand to her breasts and fondled them; pinching her nipples and rolling them in between her index-finger and thumb.

"Fuck." he groaned and removed his thumb from her bundle of nerves before digging his fingers into her thighs while picking up his pace. The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the small room when he claimed her as his; his full length piercing her inner walls again and again. Her hand slid down her naked body and replaced the spot in between her legs he'd been touching moments earlier. Slick fingers went in fast circles over her sensitive clitoris while he continued pounding into her.

A sudden wave of white-hot pleasure came over her and his name left her lips in a loud moan. The grip on her thighs hardened as he slammed into her again and buried his length to the hilt in her warm vulva and she felt his member twitch within her as he too came undone, spilling his seed in her cave.

He collapsed halfway on top of her, sweat glistening on his naked frame in the warm light of the fireplace. She let her fingers dance lazily over his back and placed a loving kiss on his shoulder. Her eyes felt heavy so she closed them and felt the swordsman roll off of her only to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer to his chest. He left a chaste kiss on her forehead before nuzzling his face in her hair.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"For what?"

"For letting me in."

He stayed quiet for a moment, contemplating her words. "Tch, it's not like I had a choice."

He felt her smile into his chest. "Idiot,"

Smirking into her hair, he gave her his usual reply. "Witch."

A/N: Another chapter done and uploaded.
I don't feel comfortable writing fighting scenes, so I took the easy way out and skipped it where Nami got chased by the Vice Captain. I also find writing dialogues extremely difficult. I don't speak unless spoken to irl (social phobia), so I struggle a lot with the interactions between the characters mainly because of that. I don't know if it shows or not, but now you know.
A lot of you have asked me when Sakura's going to meet the Strawhat Pirates. I feel as if I'm giving spoilers, but the next chapter will be "it", so stay tuned and don't forget to review. I can't stress enough how important it is to get feedback, at least for me.